Archive for December, 2011

How to be Smarter: When moving, set aside a screwdriver to put at the top of one of the boxes. It will probably be one of the first things you need in your new house, and you don’t want to dig through a bunch of boxes to find it.

How to be Prettier: If you are heading out on New Year’s Eve, wear your warmest coat (you will coat check it two seconds after you get into the venue anyways), and shoes you have broken-in already. A warm coat and feet that don’t pinch eliminate 99% percent of New Year’s Eve going-out hassles.

How to be (less) Awkward: It’s totally fine if you are not in the mood to go out and would rather stay home for the night. But if you make a choice to go out for the evening, you have also made a choice to leave any bad attitude at home. It’s better to be the girl that everyone misses and wishes was at the party, then the girl at the party complaining about how she would rather be at home.

How to be Smarter: In general, there are two reasons for why you should be doing something: either doing it brings you joy, or doing it puts you on a path that will get you closer to your final goal. If something doesn’t fulfill either of these two purposes, it might be time to stop doing it.

How to be (less) Awkward: An offbeat but surprisingly useful gift for a friend moving into a new place is a big box of double A batteries. Everyone always needs batteries, but it’s something we rarely think to buy for ourselves until whatever device we want to use runs out of them. Buying a friend a big box ensures she’ll be stocked up for a while in her new place.

How to be Smarter: The best thing you can do for your own happiness level is to engage in the job that you do. Ask questions, think strategically, and befriend co-workers. These will all help you in your career path, but, perhaps more importantly, they will help you enjoy the place you spend 8 hours a day. And enjoying where you spend the majority of your day can make your whole life better.

How to be (less) Awkward: Don’t worry about who is prettier than you. You can’t control that anyways. Worry about whose more interesting than you. Because working to make your own life more interesting is the best remedy to jealousy, and in the process your whole world becomes more enjoyable–for you.

How to be Smarter: When something sweet spills and you don’t take the time to wipe it up right away, the sugar hardens and bugs are drawn to it. The same way, when someone in a relationship stops being sweet and you don’t take the time to talk about the issue right away, the problem only gets harder to fix and as time passes, sadness and mean words are drawn to the spot the sweetness used to be.

How to be Prettier: Right now, the stores have lots of options for festive little red dresses, meant for Christmas parties. But next week, when the holiday stuff goes on sale, it will be a great time to find an (inexpensive) red dress that you can tuck in your closet and pull out for a Valentine’s Day date.

How to be (less) Awkward: If riding backwards on a train doesn’t bother you, sitting that way can lessen the chance someone will sit next to you because most people don’t voluntarily choose to ride backwards.

How to be Smarter: Timing is important when approaching someone about a sensitive issue. When you are about to have a serious discussion with someone, chose a time of day when they are not already stressed out and are not busy multitasking.

How to be Prettier: Use your ring finger to apply under-eye concealer; it is one of your weakest fingers and will tug at your skin less, which is better for wrinkle prevention.

How to be (less) Awkward: Not awkward, just adorable: feel-good blog of wedding proposals.